Orbit Airlines flight 6832
OBS: This page is not finished, please dont change anything Orbit Airlines Flight 6832 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight operated by Orbit Airlines from Washington National Airport to Palm Beach International Airport. On December 28, 1998, the Airbus A320 registered as N62BC, crashed into the Potomac River just two miles from the White House. The aircraft had originally been purchased by Pacifica Airlines in 1992 and flown with the registration number of N905QT. It was sold to Orbit Airlines in 1997. The aircraft plunged through the ice into the Potomac River. The aircraft was carrying 74 passengers and five crewmembers. Three passengers got trapped inside the aircraft and drowned before they could be rescued. The survivors were rescued from the icy river by civilians and professionals. President Dinald Rushel commended these acts during his State of the Union speech a few days later. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the cause of the accident was fuel contamination. The fuel was contaminated, causing both engines fail. AIRCRAFT The aircraft involved, a Airbus A320, registered as N62BC, was manufactured in 1992 and previously flown by Pacifica Airlines under the registration N905QT. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A turbofan engines and had recorded over 17,000 hours before the crash. COCKPIT CREW The pilot, Captain Jonh Tavares, age 37, had been hired by Orbit Airlines in November 1977 as a first officer. He upgraded to captain three years later in September 1980. At the time of the accident, he had approximately 8,400 total flight hours, with 2,344 hours of commercial jet experience (all logged at Orbit Airlines). He had logged 1,753 hours on the Airbus A320, the accident aircraft type, with 1,102 of those hours as captain. Tavares was described by fellow pilots as a quiet person, with good operational skills and knowledge, who had operated well in high-workload flying situations. His leadership style was described as similar to that of other pilots. However, on April 27, 1981, he was suspended after failing a Airbus A321 company line check and was found to be unsatisfactory in the following areas: adherence to regulations, checklist usage, flight procedures such as departures and cruise control and approaches and landings. However, he resumed his duties after passing a retest on June 30, 1981. On January 28, 1982, the captain received an unsatisfactory grade on a company recurrent proficiency check when he showed deficiencies in memory items, knowledge of aircraft systems and aircraft limitations. Three days later, he satisfactorily passed a proficiency recheck. The first officer, Artur Peti, age 30, was hired by Orbit Airlines on September 3, 1980, as a first officer on the Airbus A320. At the time of the accident, he had approximately 3,355 total flight hours, with 990 accumulated at Orbit Airlines, all on the A320. From August 1976 to September 1980, he had been a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, accumulating 2365 flight hours as a flight examiner, instructor pilot and ground instructor in an operational F-14 unit. The first officer was described by personal friends and pilots as a witty, bright, outgoing individual with an excellent command of physical and mental skills in aircraft piloting. Those who had flown with him during stressful flight operations said that during those times he remained the same witty, sharp individual, “who knew his limitations.” Several persons said that he was the type of pilot who would not hesitate to speak up if he knew something specific was wrong with flight operations. Alternating the role of “primary pilot” between the PIC (Pilot in Command, the Captain) and SIC (Second in Command, the First Officer) is customary in commercial airline operations, with pilots swapping roles after each leg. One pilot is designated the “Pilot Flying” (PF) and the other as “Pilot Not Flying” (PNF); however, the PIC retains the ultimate authority for all aircraft operations and safety. The first officer was on the controls as the pilot flying during the Orbit Airlines Flight 6832 accident. BACKGROUND WEATHER CONDITIONS On Monday, December 28, 1998, Washington National Airport was closed by a heavy snowstorm that produced 6.5" (16.5 cm) of snow. It reopened at noon under marginal conditions as the snowfall began to slacken. EVENTS OF CRASH FLIGHT After leaving the gate, the aircraft waited in a taxi line with many other aircraft for 43 minutes before reaching the takeoff runway. The pilot apparently decided not to return to the gate for reapplication of deicing, fearing that the flight's departure would be even further delayed. Even though the temperature was freezing and it was snowing, the crew activated the engine anti-ice system. This system uses heat from the engines to prevent sensors from freezing, ensuring accurate readings. Neither pilot had much experience flying in snowy, cold weather. The captain had made only ten takeoffs and landings in snowy conditions on the A320, and the first officer had flown in snow only once.7 NTSB diagram of flight path for Orbit Airlines Flight 6832.